:: Internet Worms |
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You may be at risk whenever you are connected to the internet, even if you dont open suspicious email. |
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Internet worms can travel between connected computers by exploiting security 'holes' in the computers operating system. |
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The Blaster worm, for example, takes advantage of a weakness in the Remote Procedure Call service that runs on Windows NT, 2000 and XP computers and uses it to send a copy of itself to another computer. As the worm spreads, it creates a lot of traffic on the internet, slowing down communications or causing computers to crash. This particular worm also later uses the computer to deluge a Microsoft website with data, with the aim of making the site inaccessible. |
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Microsoft, and other operating system vendors, issue patches to fix security loopholes in their software. You should update your computer regularly by visiting the vendors website. |
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:: Can I Get a Virus from a Website? |
Web pages are written in HTML (Hypertext Markup Language). This cannot carry a virus, although it can call up programs or files that do. You cannot be infected by visiting an HTML page unless there is a security vulnerability on your computer that allows a program to run and infect you. |
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:: Backdoor Trojans |
You dont have to open an attachment to become infected via email. Just viewing your mail is a risk. |
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A backdoor Trojan may pose as legitimate software, just as other Trojan horse programs do, so that users run it. Alternatively - as is now increasingly common - a virus may place a backdoor Trojan onto a computer.
Once the Trojan is run, it adds itself to the computers startup routine. It can then monitor the computer until the user is connected to the internet.
Once the computer is online, the person who sent the Trojan can run run programs on the infected computer, access personal files, modify and upload files, track the users keystrokes or send out spam email.
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Well-known Trojans include Subseven, BackOrifice and Graybird, which was disguised as a fix for the notorious Blaster worm. |
